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Future TAS<br />
McIntosh C220 Stereo Preamplifier<br />
McIntosh Laboratories recently announced its new $3300 C220 vacuum-tube preamplifier,<br />
which offers great flexibility, a user-friendly design, and what is said to be a superb built-in<br />
mm phono section based on tried-and-true 12AX7 tubes. The preamplifier features seven<br />
balanced and two unbalanced inputs and outputs.<br />
Interestingly, a unique “Headphone Mode Mute” function allows the C220 to be used<br />
as a high-quality headphone amplifier. McIntosh insiders told us they feel the C220’s sound<br />
quality is second only to McIntosh’s own megadollar, three-chassis C1000C flagship. They also<br />
hinted that, though the C220’s phonostage is meant for use with high-output cartridges, the<br />
phonostage is so quiet and offers so much gain that it can actually be used with medium- and<br />
low-output moving coils.<br />
mcintoshlabs.com<br />
Revel Ultima 2 Series<br />
Loudspeakers<br />
Revel’s new Ultima 2 speaker line is the result of<br />
an intense, three-year development effort that<br />
leveraged virtually all the development resources<br />
of Revel’s parent company, Harman International.<br />
The new Ultima 2 family consists of the<br />
four-way, six-driver Salon 2s ($22k/pair); the<br />
three-way, four-driver Studio 2s ($16k/pair); the<br />
three-way, three-driver, wall/stand-mount Gem 2s<br />
($5k/each); and the three-way, four-driver Voice 2<br />
center channel speaker ($8k/each). The Ultima 2s<br />
feature beryllium tweeters mounted in a newly<br />
developed wide-dispersion waveguide, plus<br />
titanium midrange drivers and woofers. Among<br />
the design goals for the speakers were broad<br />
dispersion, ultra-low diffraction, extremely even<br />
power response within the room, and very low<br />
distortion.<br />
In a brief demonstration, the new Salon 2s<br />
proved quite impressive, exhibiting astonishing<br />
levels of “see-through” transparency, lively and<br />
lifelike dynamics, full-range bass, and the ability<br />
to resolve exceedingly fine musical details. They<br />
represent a big step forward relative to the<br />
original Salons.<br />
revelspeakers.com<br />
Pro-Ject RM10 Turntable<br />
At the CEDIA Expo 2006, Pro-Ject gave the first-ever public showing of its new flagship<br />
RM10 turntable—by far the most ambitious analog platform the firm has offered. Distinctive<br />
features unique to the RM10 include a main bearing that reduces friction via an ingenious<br />
magnetic-repulsion system, plus a special sub-plinth for vibration isolation. The RM10 will sell<br />
for $2500, and is slated for a full review in an upcoming issue of The Absolute Sound. Stay<br />
tuned for details.<br />
sumikoaudio.net<br />
24 December 2006 The Absolute Sound
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